


A Constellation of Whetūs

by Poplitealqueen



Series: AtS Fanfic [6]
Category: Awaken the Stars Series - Jer Keene
Genre: Awaken the Stars, Canon Trans Character, Ficlet, Gen, cute family moments because I'm addicted to those
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2019-01-23 07:02:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12501560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poplitealqueen/pseuds/Poplitealqueen
Summary: Xāwuṭh is the wanderlust glue that lowkey keeps his family together.





	A Constellation of Whetūs

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Ashleshā](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6876577) by [flamethrower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamethrower/pseuds/flamethrower). 



> Well, we've finally reached it. This is the last of the AtS ficlets I had posted up on Tumblr (I think? There could be one more, my blog is a mess), so any future ones will be brand-spanking new. I wanna say thanks to everyone that has read these on here, and, as always *ahem*
> 
> Buy the book? *grin*
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> -Pop
> 
> PS: So how is Xāwuṭh pronounced? _Bah-oh-woo._ Sounds kinda like Beowulf!

Xāwuṭh puts his hands on his hips and grins down at his niece. “You ready to learn how to drive a boat, Kid?”

Neumia straightens up and gives him a surprisingly damn good salute. “Aye aye, Captain!”

Xāwuṭh grins at her. _“Oooooooh who lives in a pineapple under the sea…”_  he sing-songs as he takes his niece’s hands and places them on the steering wheel. He absently wonders how pissed he could make his family if he went around strumming the cords of the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song at them on his guitar. Probably atomic levels.

He so has to try it.

Neumia needs a stepping stool to reach the wheel completely, but once she does she keeps a firm grip on it and stays on a steady course.

Xāwuṭh points at the windshield towards the sky, which has long since gone dark. Luckily, the moon is full tonight and the sky is clear of clouds, which gives them plenty of light to practice by.

“You see that bright star right there, Nari?”

Neumia squints. “Right there?”

“Yeah. That’s called Polaris, the North Star. No matter where you are in the Northern hemisphere, that star will always lead you north. Good to know, right?”

Neumia nods, blonde braids bouncing on her shoulders. She’s eager and quick to learn (not unlike Xāwuṭh had been when he was a kid) and it makes him wish he had time to teach her all the secrets to navigating with the stars. Well, once Brunei was over and done with, they’d have plenty of time. Hopefully.

A shadow out of the corner of his eye brings Sorrow to Xāwuṭh’s notice. His cousin must have slipped in when neither of them was watching, and he stands against the corner watching them with wide, interested eyes.

Oh, Xāwuṭh has the perfect idea.

“You know, I know someone that’s an even better sailor than I am. It’s kind of unfair, really.” He gestures at Sorrow, who hesitates before making his way over to them. “Sorrow here sailed us through a storm six miles out of Pagudpud when he was only sixteen.”

“Wow!” Neumia says, awestruck. Sorrow visibly blushes, and Xāwuṭh gives him an even bigger smile. “Can you show me how to sail, Sorrow?”

Sorrow rubs at his short hair. “My…my English not good–” he begins, but Xāwuṭh stops him with a light touch on the shoulder.

“Good thing I’m an excellent translator, then. Here, take my spot.”

Xāwuṭh moves away and Sorrow takes the helm behind Neumia, and carefully adjusts Neumia’s arms and hands while giving advice in broken English and the occasional Thai. Xāwuṭh translates when needed, but after a few minutes it’s almost like he doesn’t need to be there.

When it’s finally time for Neumia to head to bed, she can name all the different sides of the boat as well as most of the dashboard buttons and levers. She even knows a few words in Thai, and gives Sorrow a hug goodnight before she gives one to Xāwuṭh.

Sorrow is still smiling at the helm when Xāwuth decides to head off to bed for a few hours. That makes Xāwuṭh smile, too.

Perfect idea, indeed. Now to figure out the cords to that SpongeBob song.

**Author's Note:**

> The title is the title mostly because it made me giggle. It's what a collective group of Whetūs is: a constellation! Someone let Merriam-Webster's know.


End file.
